PERSONAL HEALTH : Breakthrough in Body-Specific MRI

Scans using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be a boon for detecting tiny tumors and other problems.

But they’re also expensive. And traditional MRI machines require a patient to lie still inside a tube, which can be especially anxiety-producing for claustrophobic patients.

But new “dedicated” MRI scanners, which image specific body parts while the patient sits outside, promise to reduce costs and anxiety.

* The Artoscan, which received marketing approval late last year from the Food and Drug Administration, is in operation at one site, says Michael Silver of the Lunar Corp. in Madison, Wis., U.S. distributor of the Italian machine. But he expects it to start showing up in Southern California by summer.

* Magna-SL is still awaiting FDA approval, says Joel Stutman of Magna-Lab Inc. in New York. Once OKd, it will be marketed to imaging centers and doctors’ offices.

Traditional MRI units cost $850,000 to $2 million and must be housed in shielded rooms. The new units cost about $375,000 to $500,000 and don’t need special rooms. Scans with the new units should cost a third to a half as much as traditional scans.